Technical Co-operation Committee, 63rd session, 10 to 12 July 2013 (closing address)
Sixty-third Session of the Technical Co-operation Committee
Friday, 12 July 2013
Closing Remarks by the Secretary-General
Friday, 12 July 2013
Closing Remarks by the Secretary-General
Your deliberations over the last three days have highlighted, once again, the importance of the ITCP and the work of this Committee in the provision of technical assistance to the developing countries.
With the approval of the country maritime profile template by the Committee, the Secretariat will be focussing on the completion of collecting relevant information contained therein which will help in the planning of more need-based ITCP for effective technical co operation, leading to more effective implementation of IMO instruments and the technical co operation activities of IMO.
Implementation of the ITCP for 2014-2015 in its entirety will be a challenge to the Secretariat; despite the increase in the funding requirements to meet the growing demands for technical assistance, the TC Fund allocation for 2014-2015, to be approved by the Council next week, will see a decrease of 5.5% due to the difference in exchange rates.
In order to carry out our future work on technical co-operation more effectively, the strategy to be developed on resource mobilization will play an important role to secure the long term, predictable, sustainable and flexible funding from diverse sources. However, these efforts cannot be achieved without the indispensable support, financial or in-kind, received from IMO Member States and our technical co-operation partners, including maritime industry.
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Distinguished delegates,
Distinguished delegates,
Some of the Member States’ representatives with a close link to IMO’s technical co operation activities and some members of TCD staff have left since TC 62 or are leaving. Among them, I would mention:
• Dr. Youngsun (Sammy) Park (Republic of Korea), Vice Chairman of the Technical Co-operation Committee
• Mr. Jianxin Zhu, Director, Technical Co operation Division – to whom I will refer again shortly;
• Mrs. Brenda Pimentel, Regional Coordinator, East Asia; and
• Mr. Michael Luguje, IMO’s Regional Coordinator for West and Central Africa (Anglophone), left the Organization in August 2012 to explore new avenues as the Secretary General of the Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa. He is attending this meeting in his new capacity.
• Mr. Jianxin Zhu, Director, Technical Co operation Division – to whom I will refer again shortly;
• Mrs. Brenda Pimentel, Regional Coordinator, East Asia; and
• Mr. Michael Luguje, IMO’s Regional Coordinator for West and Central Africa (Anglophone), left the Organization in August 2012 to explore new avenues as the Secretary General of the Ports Management Association of West and Central Africa. He is attending this meeting in his new capacity.
Now returning to Mr. Jianxin Zhu, Director of the Technical Co operation Division; he will be retiring at the end of August so this is his last session of the Technical Co operation Committee. Mr Zhu joined IMO in 1995 as the Head of the Asia and Pacific Section in TCD. However, his partnership with IMO started 18 years before, as a delegate to IMO meetings of the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China. His career has always followed the maritime path: first as Maritime Attaché in the Chinese Embassy in London from 1981 – 1985, then on his return to China in 1985, as Deputy Director of the International Organizations Division in the Ministry of Transport. He was promoted to Director of the same Division in 1992.
During his time serving the Ministry of Transport, China, Mr. Zhu was also involved as Senior Editor for two Chinese publications on the maritime sector: firstly for a series entitled “General knowledge about Maritime and Transport Laws and Regulations”; he then worked on a seven-volume publication called “Collections of International Maritime Treaties”.
He joined in 1995, as I mentioned, and, in 2003, Mr. Zhu was promoted to the post of Senior Deputy Director during which time he was instrumental in increasing the number of TC partnerships, both financial and for in-kind support. Today those partnerships number 73, a fitting testimony to Mr. Zhu's endeavours. He was then promoted to Director of TCD in 2010.
During the last three years, as Director of TCD, Mr. Zhu has steered the division with dedication and commitment to the ideals of technical co-operation. Under his management, the division has developed the Country Maritime Profiles, the spring-board for the future of IMO's TC assistance programmes. Mr. Zhu will be greatly missed by his staff and colleagues, and I would like to pay tribute to his professionalism and steadfast sense of responsibility. His was a steady hand on the tiller, and I am sure you will all join me today in wishing him the very best in the next chapter of his life, together with his wife and family.
Now it just remains for me to wish those of you that are not remaining in London for the Council meeting next week a pleasant trip home and a good summer break to those living in the northern hemisphere.
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